THE RESILIENCY OF AMERICA: REFLECTING ON 9/11 & THE BENGHAZI ATTACK

Date:
September 6, 2013

By:
Bob Goodlatte

Twelve years ago, many of us anxiously crowded around televisions, witnessing the aftermath of the deadliest terrorist attack on American soil in our nation’s history. This week, as we mark the anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorists attacks, Americans will remember the thousands of innocent lives lost that day at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and in a field in western Pennsylvania.

And now, another act of terrorism weighs fresh in our minds – the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya on this very day last year. This violent and vicious attack claimed the lives of four Americans, including Ambassador Chris Stevens.

As we honor those who were lost and reflect on the events in Benghazi last September, many questions regarding the events of that day remain. One year later, the President and his Administration have still not been forthright with Congress and the American people about the cause of the attack. Questions also remain unanswered regarding the Administration’s prior knowledge of security concerns in Libya.

Conflicting information and outright stonewalling from the State Department led the House Committees on the Judiciary, Armed Services, Foreign Affairs, Intelligence, and Oversight and Government Reform to take action to perform the necessary oversight and conduct a comprehensive review of all the available data in order to determine what happened before, during, and after the Benghazi attack. The Committees recently issued a report shedding new light on the attack in Benghazi and helping to identify the pieces of the puzzle that are still missing as well as those that need further investigation. The full report is available on my website at goodlatte.house.gov.

This investigation is well underway, and the Committees of jurisdiction are actively digging deeper. I will continue to exercise vigorous oversight and press for the answers the American people and the families of the victims deserve. Acts of terrorism against the United States will not be tolerated.

On this somber anniversary of 9/11 and the Benghazi attack, I call on every American to remember those we have lost as well as the members of our Armed Forces, the law enforcement community, and first responders who protect our communities both at home and abroad. It is vital that we bring to justice those who perpetrated the Benghazi attack and hold accountable those who made the tragic decisions that failed to protect our representatives serving in dangerous places. The events of September 11th have changed many aspects of our lives. But one thing remains unshaken – the resiliency and strength of the American people. That is the real legacy of September 11th.